Safety resilient slip coupling for pierced earrings

Claim 2

The earring of claim 1 wherein said ornament supporting means includes a yoke with opposing spaced surfaces; and, wherein the ends of said loop are substantially equidistant from the earlobe when the earring is worn, are laterally biased apart a distance greater than the distance between the opposing surfaces of said yoke, are laterally and resiliently compressible to a distance less than the distance between the opposing surfaces of said yoke for manual insertion into said yoke for retention through contact with said surfaces, and are laterally and resiliently compressible by the surfaces of said yoke to permit the withdrawal thereof from said yoke under tension between said loop and said ornament.

Claim 3

The earring of claim 3 wherein said yoke is generally ellipsoidal in cross section with the major axis of the ellipse generally parallel to the portion of said loop which is to rest in an aperture in the earlobe.

Claim 4

The earring of claim 1 wherein said loop includes a lower portion having upwardly and laterally outwardly extending legs; and, wherein said ornament supporting means includes a pair of upwardly and laterally outwardly extending arms, said arms bEing laterally biased apart a distance less than the lateral spacing between the legs of said loop, being laterally and resiliently manually separable to receive the lower portion of said loop for retention through contact therewith, and being laterally and resiliently separable to permit the withdrawal of the lower portion of said loop from therebetween under tension between said loop and said ornament.

Claim 5

The earring of claim 1 wherein said loop includes a lower generally U-shaped portion; and, wherein said ornament supporting means includes a spring wire terminating in upwardly extending crossed arms, said arms being resiliently biased into contact with each other, being laterally and resiliently separable for the manual insertion of the U-shaped portion of said loop therebetween into a space beneath the point of contact of said arms, and being laterally and resiliently separable to permit the withdrawal of the U-shaped portion of said loop from said space upon tension between said loop and said ornament.

Claim 6

The earring of claim 1 wherein said loop includes a lower portion having a horizontally disposed ring; and, wherein said ornament supporting means includes a pair of upwardly and outwardly extending arms, the ends of said arms being laterally biased apart a distance greater than the diameter of said ring, being laterally and resiliently compressible to a distance less than the diameter of said ring to permit the manual insertion thereof into said ring for retention by said bias, and being laterally and resiliently compressible to permit the withdrawal thereof from said ring under tension between said loop and said ornament.

Claim 7

The earring of claim 1 wherein said loop includes a first magnetic member having an exposed surface of one polarity; and, wherein said ornament supporting means includes a second magnetic member having an exposed surface of a polarity opposite to the polarity of the exposed surface of said first magnetic member, the exposed surfaces of said magnetic members being adapted for mutual engagement whereby said earring ornament supporting means may be separable from said loop under tension to protect the earlobe from damage.

Claim 8

A safety coupling for pierced earrings comprising, in combination: a first loop for insertion through an ear lobe and having a pair of depending spring legs; a yoke; and a second wire loop secured to said yoke, said first loop having means for forming a resilient slip coupling with said yoke, said means including a pair of depending spring legs capable of being compressed and inserted within said yoke to resiliently and releaseably clasp said yoke thereby coupling said loops.

Claim 9

The combination recited in claim 9 wherein said first loop includes a clasp for securing it to the ear lobe.